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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

Thorsby High School made it two wins in two weeks on Aug. 26 with a 40-20 win over Prattville Christian Academy to put the Rebels at 2-0 this season.

With starting quarterback Remington Taylor out with a knee injury, it was Grayson McManus and Nate Thomas who picked up the slack for the Rebels. Thomas rushed for a game high 248 yards and had three rushing touchdowns. He added four catches for 34 yards and pulled in a receiving touchdown.

Grayson McManus moved from running back to quarterback for the game and went 4-for-6 for 34 yards passing and the scoring connection to Thomas. McManus added 95 yards on the ground and two rushing scores to his totals.

“It was our game plan going in to run the ball … and we had some guys step up big for us,” Thorsby coach Daryl Davis said. “(Grayson) did a great job stepping in, and Nate had an unbelievable night.”

Davis said that Taylor’s absence was precautionary, and he expects the senior back at practice next week.

McManus got things started for Thorsby early ripping off a 72-yard touchdown run to put the Rebels up 6-0. Thomas ran for a 48-yard touchdown run later in the first quarter to make it 12-0 Thorsby after the opening frame. Both point after attempts were no good.

PCA got on the board with quarterback Tanner Byrd finding Liam Taylor for a touchdown connection to cut the lead to 12-7. McManus canceled that score out on the Rebels next drive with his second rushing touchdown of the game to make it 20-7 Thorsby at the intermission.

PCA came out in the second half and scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to tie the game up at 20.

From there, it was all Rebels.

Thomas scampered for a 64-yard touchdown run just before the end of the third quarter to push Thorsby ahead 28-20 after McManus’s two-point conversion run.

McManus and Thomas dominated the final quarter with the duo connecting on a touchdown pass with under five minutes left to make it 34-20.

Thomas left no doubt in the outcome with an 82-yard touchdown run as the seconds ticked down in the game to push the final tally to 40-20.

The Thorsby defense was stellar in the final quarter to thwart any PCA comeback bid. Malachi Allgood led the Rebels defense with six solo tackles, and N’Ky Nunn added six as well.

“To have guys show up like that, it shows good character,” Davis said. “Next week is a big game, and they look forward to this game against a rival.”

Thorsby (2-0) will travel to Isabella High School on Sept. 2 to open AHSAA Class 2A Region 4 play at 7 p.m. Prattville Christian (1-1) travels to face Saint James in a Class 3A Region 3 matchup on the same day and time.